Are You Real

As Christians, we’ve been given the ministry of reconciliation. We’ve been reconciled to God, so therefore we can be reconciled to one another. Healing racial divides is what Special Guest, LaTasha “Tasha” Morrison delves into on today’s podcast. In John 17, Jesus prayed that we would be one, as He and the Father are one. Tasha covers some deep ground on how the Church has been complicit to racism, and her ideas to deconstruct that. By listening to marginalized voices and creating conversations, she has a mission to be the bridge by calling upon Christians and the Church to have a transformative response towards racial unity. It is this unity that will be a witness that points others to Christ. Tasha lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and is Founder and President of an organization called “Be the Bridge”, whose mission is to help people have a distinct and transformative conversation around racial healing. “Be the Bridge” has a world-wide reach, with groups in North America, Italy, Canada, and New Zealand, and continues to grow. Resources:

If you’ve ever struggled with reading and comprehending scripture, you’re not going to want to miss today’s episode. Special guest, Sharon Kaselonis, shares the problems she encountered in studying the Bible, her prayer to the Lord to know and understand Him, and the gracious resolution He provided to her. Her new book, Jesus, Day by Day, is a daily devotional that teaches you to look for Jesus throughout the scriptures and takes you through a chronological one-year reading plan that covers the entire Bible, so that you can know and understand Him, too. Sharon is an attorney, homeschool mom, writer, speaker, and educator whose passion is to inspire believers worldwide to read and know and study the Bible for themselves. Previously, she practiced law in the Washington, D.C., area, before serving as the director of women’s ministry at a large church in Jacksonville, Oregon. Sharon and her husband, Ray, live in Scottsdale, Arizona, with their two children. Resources:

Blessed, Broken, Given - these three words come from the gospels, and they’re the words that describe what Jesus does when he has bread in his hands. Luke’s gospel, in particular, tells three stories of Jesus taking bread, blessing it, breaking it, and giving it. Our guest today, Glenn Packiam, wrote a soon-to-be-released book, Blessed Broken Given: How Your Story Becomes Sacred In The Hands Of Jesus. Jesus describes Himself as the “bread of Heaven”, and each word - blessed, broken, given - is going to speak to us in a particular way. This book is about encouraging people to see the glory in the ordinary, the grace in the midst of their mess, and purpose in each moment of the day. After listening to this episode, you’ll understand why he says the last twelve years have been a really beautiful journey of being humbled and discovering what it means to serve. You’ll understand how God truly sees us, and how we can meet people where they are. Glenn Packiam is a Pastor, Author, Speaker, Practical Theologian, and Songwriter. He is one of the associate senior pastors as New Life Church in Colorado Spring, Colorado, and the lead pastor of New Life Downtown, a congregation of New Life Church. His newest book, Blessed Broken Given: How Your Story Becomes Sacred In The Hands Of Jesus, was released August 6, 2019. Glenn earned a Doctorate in Theology and Ministry from 

Stephen Blake Kanicka is a Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer. His musicality has been noted by the New York Times and featured on Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno, The View, Ellen Degeneres, and the Today Show. Stephen Blake grew up deeply entrenched in the world of music, as his mother was a Vocal Performance major in college. His innate ear for music was noticed at a very young age when he would climb the piano and play the melodies he heard around him. His talent was then fostered with Suzuki ear training, followed by over ten years of classical study in piano, theory, and music history. All of these experiences set the foundation for a strong melodic sense and technical proficiency while also gaining a deep respect for the classical composers, particularly Mozart and Beethoven. Further development was pursued as a member of a jazz ensemble, chamber choir, and with local artists. At the young age of 16, Stephen Blake was invited to travel nation-wide with an arena tour – giving him his first introduction to the commercial music industry. By the time he graduated from high school, he had gained significant musical training, real-world experience, and had composed and produced several of his own arrangements. Professionally, Stephen Blake has continued to hone his craft over the years as a musical director, string arranger, and collaborator with many artists – both onstage and in the studio. Notably, he has worked and performed with Atlantic Records artist, Jason Castro, as well as critically-acclaimed Aqualung, who likened his musical sensibilities to those of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. Currently, he records and performs with the award-winning band, for KING & COUNTRY, while also continuing his creative work in the studio with various artists and projects he finds inspiring. He lives with his wife, Brittany, in Franklin, Tennessee. What you’ll hear in this episode: A lifelong passion for music Blake’s inspiration: “The Lord goes before you and fights your battles.” Also, Psalm 23 Ups and downs in the music business Blake’s biggest struggle: servanthood The importance of relationships that can help and keep you accountable “Treasure hunters” Music’s profound emotion College at Texas A&M: no musical instruments for THREE years! Blake’s move to LA, joining a band, living within God’s will Blake’s advice to the younger Blake: “The Holy Spirit is real. Don’t let other things challenge your faith.” Having faith to step out Having wise counsel Blake’s favorite current project: a version of Amazing Grace for an upcoming movie, with rapper KB Blake’s parting advice: “There is a power in mystery. I have a great hope that we continue to embrace the mysterious. Be careful what you let yourself absorb.” Connect with Blake:

In a world of urgent need around us, God gives us good things to enjoy …but ultimately God has blessed us so that through us, others might know his goodness, others might know his grace, and others might see his glory. Our guest today is David Platt, who took a life-changing 8-day trek through the Himalayas, where he encountered a population with urgent physical and spiritual needs. Our lives are but a mist here, so what can we do with our time to make it count? When our eyes are opened to the suffering in this world, something has to change. We’re going to be discussing David’s first book, and his upcoming book. If you feel like you’ve been living the dream but missing the point, or feel like you’ve just missed the dream altogether, this podcast is going to bless you. David Platt is pastor at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia. After graduating from the University of Georgia, he attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received multiple degrees. Before pastoring at McLean Bible Church, he previously pastored congregations in New Orleans, Birmingham, AL, and the greater Washington, D.C. area. David also served as President of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, one of the largest missionary organizations in the world. He is founder of